Synopsis: Petitioner requested a hearing after the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund rejected her request to purchase pension retirement credit for a period of maternity leave; the matter was then assigned to an administrative law judge. The administrative law judge found that petitioner had been a member of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund since 1965 and that in 1975 she had been incorrectly informed that she could not purchase credit for a period of maternity leave. The judge rejected petitioner's argument that her tardiness should be excused due to the incorrect information supplied to her. The judge determined that the Board of Trustees did not have the discretionary power to ignore the statutory mandates governing the pension system. Accordingly, the judge affirmed the denial of benefits. Upon review, the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund accepted the initial decision. Richard Friedman, Esq., for Petitioner (Ruhlman & Butrym, Esqs., attorneys) Sharon Joyce, Esq., Deputy Attorney General, for respondent (John J. Degnan, Attorney General of New Jersey, attorney) Initial Decision